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Hello
Which one is better for our baby?
Answer
I wouldnt suggest one ... the CDC has long discouraged the use of them. My hospital discontinued the use of them in the mid 90's ....
If you feel you need to use one ... my caution is ... these devices are very prone to harboring water borne bacteria ... that can potentially cause pneumonia .. so follow the instructions below to protect your child.
Preventing Humidifier Problems
Clean your humidifier daily: Clean dialy to prevent the growth of bacteria, fungi and scale. Be sure to completely empty it and wipe all surfaces dry before you refill it. For Console humidifiers, follow the manufacturer's instructions for changing water in them. Be sure you unplug the humidifier from the electrical socket before emptying it and refilling it.
Use distilled water: The health impact of humidifiers depends a lot on the quality of water used in it. About 90 percent of compounds dissolved in water, including lead, aluminum, and asbestos, may be spewed by ultrasonic humidifiers as small particles that may result in chronic (long-term) respiratory problems. To prevent that, use distilled water in your humidifier to reduce the mineral content in the mist because distillation is the best way of removing minerals from water. Do not use tap water because it has a high mineral content?especially if you have well water. Even though distilled water may still contain some mineral content, it will probably have fewer minerals than tap water. It is important to know that not all bottled water has had the mineral taken out of it. For example, spring water, artesian water, and mineral water still contain these minerals that can lead to scale build-up and white dust.
Use demineralization cartridges or filters: Use filters if they are supplied or recommended for use with your humidifier. Be sure to change them regularly during heating season when you are using your humidifier more. Since it is not known how effective these cartridges or filters are in removing minerals, keep an eye out for white dust that would show that the minerals are not being removed. If your water has a high mineral content, it might be cheaper to use distilled water than to use these filters.
Drain, clean, and thoroughly dry your humidifier before you store it. Store it in a dry location. Before you use it again, be sure to clean it and wipe off any dust.
Clean your room humidifier well and often during the heating season, usually every third day. Follow the manufacturer's suggested cleaning methods. Some manufacturers recommend using diluted household bleach for cleaning and maintenance,usually a solution of ½ cup of bleach to 1 gallon of water. Be sure to rinse the humidifier well several times to remove all traces of the bleach. If you don't, you might accidentally end up breathing in some of the chemical.
Use a brush or other scrubber to clean the tank. Be careful not to damage the motor or to scratch the inner surface. Clean or replace sponge filters or belts when needed.
If there are no specific recommendations on how to clean your unit, clean all surfaces with a three percent solution of hydrogen peroxide. Be sure to rinse the tank out thoroughly before using.
For central humidifiers mounted on the furnace, be sure to follow the manufacturer's directions for cleaning and maintenance. Be sure not to allow water to stand in the tank for long periods and keep that water clean.
Keep steam vaporizer humidifiers out of the reach of children since the steam and boiling water may cause burns.
Buy a hygrometer to monitor interior humidity levels. Use only the amount of moisture you need. Some humidifiers contain a built-in humidistat that may be adjusted to the proper moisture level. If water condenses on windows, walls, or pictures, you should relocate the humidifier, lower its humidistat setting, or reduce its use.
Do not let the area around the humidifier get damp or wet. If dampness occurs, turn the humidifier down so not as much mist is coming out. If this cannot be done, then just use the humidifier every so often. In addition, you do not want things like carpeting, drapes, or tablecloths, to become damp since that could lead to mold growth.
If you start having any health problems that you or your doctor think might be caused by your humidifier, quit using it, even if you have been following directions in cleaning it.
Hope this helps .... I had three girls and survived without them ....
I wouldnt suggest one ... the CDC has long discouraged the use of them. My hospital discontinued the use of them in the mid 90's ....
If you feel you need to use one ... my caution is ... these devices are very prone to harboring water borne bacteria ... that can potentially cause pneumonia .. so follow the instructions below to protect your child.
Preventing Humidifier Problems
Clean your humidifier daily: Clean dialy to prevent the growth of bacteria, fungi and scale. Be sure to completely empty it and wipe all surfaces dry before you refill it. For Console humidifiers, follow the manufacturer's instructions for changing water in them. Be sure you unplug the humidifier from the electrical socket before emptying it and refilling it.
Use distilled water: The health impact of humidifiers depends a lot on the quality of water used in it. About 90 percent of compounds dissolved in water, including lead, aluminum, and asbestos, may be spewed by ultrasonic humidifiers as small particles that may result in chronic (long-term) respiratory problems. To prevent that, use distilled water in your humidifier to reduce the mineral content in the mist because distillation is the best way of removing minerals from water. Do not use tap water because it has a high mineral content?especially if you have well water. Even though distilled water may still contain some mineral content, it will probably have fewer minerals than tap water. It is important to know that not all bottled water has had the mineral taken out of it. For example, spring water, artesian water, and mineral water still contain these minerals that can lead to scale build-up and white dust.
Use demineralization cartridges or filters: Use filters if they are supplied or recommended for use with your humidifier. Be sure to change them regularly during heating season when you are using your humidifier more. Since it is not known how effective these cartridges or filters are in removing minerals, keep an eye out for white dust that would show that the minerals are not being removed. If your water has a high mineral content, it might be cheaper to use distilled water than to use these filters.
Drain, clean, and thoroughly dry your humidifier before you store it. Store it in a dry location. Before you use it again, be sure to clean it and wipe off any dust.
Clean your room humidifier well and often during the heating season, usually every third day. Follow the manufacturer's suggested cleaning methods. Some manufacturers recommend using diluted household bleach for cleaning and maintenance,usually a solution of ½ cup of bleach to 1 gallon of water. Be sure to rinse the humidifier well several times to remove all traces of the bleach. If you don't, you might accidentally end up breathing in some of the chemical.
Use a brush or other scrubber to clean the tank. Be careful not to damage the motor or to scratch the inner surface. Clean or replace sponge filters or belts when needed.
If there are no specific recommendations on how to clean your unit, clean all surfaces with a three percent solution of hydrogen peroxide. Be sure to rinse the tank out thoroughly before using.
For central humidifiers mounted on the furnace, be sure to follow the manufacturer's directions for cleaning and maintenance. Be sure not to allow water to stand in the tank for long periods and keep that water clean.
Keep steam vaporizer humidifiers out of the reach of children since the steam and boiling water may cause burns.
Buy a hygrometer to monitor interior humidity levels. Use only the amount of moisture you need. Some humidifiers contain a built-in humidistat that may be adjusted to the proper moisture level. If water condenses on windows, walls, or pictures, you should relocate the humidifier, lower its humidistat setting, or reduce its use.
Do not let the area around the humidifier get damp or wet. If dampness occurs, turn the humidifier down so not as much mist is coming out. If this cannot be done, then just use the humidifier every so often. In addition, you do not want things like carpeting, drapes, or tablecloths, to become damp since that could lead to mold growth.
If you start having any health problems that you or your doctor think might be caused by your humidifier, quit using it, even if you have been following directions in cleaning it.
Hope this helps .... I had three girls and survived without them ....
Is this an appropriate tank for a baby red eared slider?
ily747
I got my turtle around 3 weeks ago. I know that I need to increase the tank size as he gets older. As the weather increases i have an outside habitat that he can spend some days in supervised. ( he is too small to be left alone because of predators )
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii104/thinkpink13205/Flash3.jpg
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii104/thinkpink13205/Flash1.jpg
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii104/thinkpink13205/Flash2.jpg
Any things that I need or anything that i am using that may be harming the turtle please inform me! Thank you!
P.S I am using white paper so that he does not see the rest of my desk and get scared. Where he basks i have pictures of grass so he feels secure.
Answer
Looks like you put in a lot of work -nice, the paper is a good idea if he's skittish, over time most sliders acclimate to people quite well, The one in my son's room - 6 yrs old now - actually seems to 'watch' the computer screen - lol.
The water may 'seem' right because the little turtle is so very, well little - but in reality he needs as much swim space as he can get - at the very very least the water should be at least two times the width of the turtle in depth to allow him to right himself if he flips over. The gravel you can likely get away with for now, as he gets larger you'll need to monitor his eating of it and lookout for imapaction. Filtration should be stronger/better - even if you cannot afford to go larger he really needs more effective filtration - internal filters just don't do a good enough job with turtles.
Check out so me care sites:
www.turtleforum.com
www.austinsturtlepage.com
www.redearslider.com
And the best link going: Dr. Rich's free book download (also available as a pay per book hard copy - he's cared for turtles for years and is doing this not to make money but to improve quality captive care - if you read nothing else you still gotta check this out:
Captive Care of North American Water Turtles, by Richard J. Lunsford. 2007. 159pp. ISBN 978-1-4303-2167-5.
http://books.lulu.com/content/1081587
Looks like you put in a lot of work -nice, the paper is a good idea if he's skittish, over time most sliders acclimate to people quite well, The one in my son's room - 6 yrs old now - actually seems to 'watch' the computer screen - lol.
The water may 'seem' right because the little turtle is so very, well little - but in reality he needs as much swim space as he can get - at the very very least the water should be at least two times the width of the turtle in depth to allow him to right himself if he flips over. The gravel you can likely get away with for now, as he gets larger you'll need to monitor his eating of it and lookout for imapaction. Filtration should be stronger/better - even if you cannot afford to go larger he really needs more effective filtration - internal filters just don't do a good enough job with turtles.
Check out so me care sites:
www.turtleforum.com
www.austinsturtlepage.com
www.redearslider.com
And the best link going: Dr. Rich's free book download (also available as a pay per book hard copy - he's cared for turtles for years and is doing this not to make money but to improve quality captive care - if you read nothing else you still gotta check this out:
Captive Care of North American Water Turtles, by Richard J. Lunsford. 2007. 159pp. ISBN 978-1-4303-2167-5.
http://books.lulu.com/content/1081587
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